Roundabouts have always been controversial in Waterloo Region, but a serious crash has brought renewed attention and calls for change.

Waterloo Region has 16 roundabouts in operation now, with plans to double that number over the next four years. But there are some who are still not convinced they're always appropriate.

One of the new roundabouts is planned at Saginaw Parkway and Franklin Boulevard in Cambridge, Ont. The location is right in front of a school and the Waterloo Catholic District School Board has already voiced concerns.

In fact it was a pedestrian crash involving 16-year-old high school student Cassi Lam at Homer Watson Boulevard and Block Line Road in Kitchener that led to protests and calls for alterations.

Local officials say they have listened to the community's concerns and are responding.

Regional councillor Rob Deutschmann says "Speed and distractions are the biggest issues that results in accidents and we have them in spades in this roundabout."

Kitchener Mayor Carl Zehr says "We have now perhaps taken it for granted that it will just work out in time and people will become accustomed to it. I think we're back to square one on this."

A number of new safety measures are now in place at the controversial roundabout and the region has installed a camera to monitor it.

Plans for additional traffic circles remain in place.

Regional councillor Jim Wideman says "Intersections are three times more dangerous in terms of crashes, statistics prove that, and for pedestrians intersections are two times more dangerous than roundabouts are."

Lawyer David MacDonald represents the Lam family and has serious reservations about putting roundabouts near schools, "I just would like to see something done to reduce, in a greater way, the potential harm for students."

But Wideman says construction on the roundabout should go forward, "I still believe that it will work. If I had to make a decision today I would still vote in favour of putting one in at Franklin."

Regional officials tell CTV News they are working with the province to update the Highway Traffic Act to include roundabouts and clear up any ambiguity in definitions.

In the meantime, Thomas Schmidt, commissioner of transportation for the Region of Waterloo, says "I believe they are safe. I believe any intersection has a possibility of an accident happening."

However, the region does admit there needs to be more public education on roundabouts, and local driving schools agree.

Faith Morphy is a driving instructor with Young Drivers of Canada. She says "We have to have a way of getting the general public to take responsibility to say ‘We now have something new in this region in our road infrastructure and it is each driver's responsibility to learn how to use it properly.'"

She adds that navigating roundabouts isn't as complex as many believe, "It really is a matter of yielding, maintaining your lane position, having an appropriate speed going in and of course watching for pedestrians. They do have the right of way."

Eleven roundabouts are planned along Cambridge's Franklin Boulevard in the next three years, but a final decision on the planned traffic circle directly in front of a high school won't be made for about a year.